BLM Lander Seeks Public Comments on Woodland Fuels Project

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lander Field Office is seeking public comments on a plan to conduct a limber pine and juniper thinning project on Crooks Mountain, five miles south of Jeffrey City and west of Green Mountain.

The project is an effort by the BLM to reduce the hazardous build-up of natural fuels east of the Happy Springs Oil Field along the main Crooks Mountain road. The thinning would be implemented using chainsaws and slash would be piled and burned when snow is on the ground. Select mature trees would be left, with the overall target of reducing canopy cover of limber pine to reduce extreme fire behavior in the event of a wildfire. In addition, the proposed treatment would provide a location from which to prevent the spread of fire to the north and east side of the road where there are more stands of limber pine.

If implemented, work would be conducted on approximately 63 acres during summer and fall 2012 and slash piles would be burned in winter 2013.

"These treatments would help to strategically reduce hazardous natural fuels loading along the only improved access road on Crooks Mountain," BLM Natural Resource Specialist Tim Kramer said. "We welcome any questions or comments the public may have as we continue to plan for this project."

Though comments or questions related to this proposed project are welcome at any time, they will be most effective if received by May 31. Comments may be emailed to: lander_wymail@blm.gov (please include "Crooks Mountain Fuels Project" in the subject line) or mailed to: Bureau of Land Management, Lander Field Office, Attn: Tim Kramer, 1335 Main Street, Lander, WY 82520.

Before including your address, phone number, email address or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

For more information about the proposed vegetation treatments within the Crooks Mountain area, please contact Kramer at 307-332-8400.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2013, the BLM generated $4.7 billion in receipts from public lands.